New Area!

I don't really have a lot to say this week. Opening a new area is a lot of busy work, like walking, getting lost, having a lot of meetings and such. We really didn't teach that much this week. But, I would like to share a couple of milagros (miracles) I have experienced on my mission so far.

First, Do you remember the Little Girl V that we baptized 2 weeks ago? Do you remember how her Dad didn't want her to be baptized? Well, today we received a phone call saying that Nestor (the dad), Maria Luisia (the mom) and Rodrigo (the brother) are all getting baptized this weekend! WHAT? I knew the day would come, but I didn't know it would be this soon! I am so excited for them. I can't wait for them to take that step to becoming an eternal family. What a blessing! I am sad that I won't be able to be there for their baptism but, I am so happy they made that decision! This is what makes all the long, hard, hot days worth it.

Second, Last week when we were coming here to Villa we didn't have any money whatsoever and my companion needed to take a pill. We didn't have any water or money to buy some. I told her to go ask the guy working at the bus traffic control center if she could have a glass of water. She did, and he ended up bringing her a nice cold bottled water. It really was a blessing!

Third, the next day we needed to get in a Taxi to go to immigration so I could sign my green card but, once again we had no money (I promise I am wise at spending, but this month we had a lot of unexpected expenses) I prayed that some how we would be able to make it there without spending any money. We flagged down a taxi and it turned out the taxi driver was a member and he gave us a free ride! Seriously, the Lord blesses us with milagros if we try our hardest and do our best.

Fourth, on Valentines Day we got a call saying all of 6 of us who live together needed to be at the office at 10 am to contact. What? ahh. When we got there I was less than excited, I was nervous about contacting... but, the Elders told us that they did it the night before and got 50 references. WOW!  I became a little more excited about it then.  The street the offices is located on is really busy and had a lot of Valentines day commotion,  it was perfect! I was really nervous at first but then we got the hang of it! At 2 pm that day we had talked to literally everyone that walked by and received over 130 references! QUE BENDICIÓNE! I grew so much that day as a missionary and my testimony grew even more.

There are so many people out there that need the Gospel! Everyday that becomes more apparent to me. There are 251 missionaries in my mission and that just isn't enough to reach all of the people that live here. We need so much help in this work! Missionaries just can't simply do it alone.

Yesterday I had to give my first talk in church..it was a big slice of humble pie! I am so grateful for those opportunities in my mission.

This week I got a letter from Grandma and Grandpa, Sister Eatough, and the Bates Family! I love mail. It's such a blessing! Thank you all so much for the support and prayers I get from you all! I love you all a bunch and can't wait to hear from you!

Hermana Riedelbach 

No Me Diga!

This week has for sure been unexpected. I think I spoke to soon about transfers last week! Let me start from the beginning.

Every night since Hermana Castro came back from Villahermosa there has been a fiesta, or fighting animals outside of our house. Meaning that we weren't able to sleep for a week, not to mention that I sleep on a piece of wood (ok, not really, but that's what it feels like.) So, on Tuesday morning we called our Zone Leader and asked if we could move into the new house with the new Hermanas that were coming to our ward. He said he would call the President and ask. We finished studying and then we received a call saying that we could move in with them on Thursday. But, on Thursday we were supposed to go to Villahermosa for Hermana Castro's back. So he said we needed to have everything ready to go so when we got back on Saturday we could move in.

We spent the whole day packing and cleaning the whole apartment. It was 90 degrees outside...needless to say it was a long day with another sleepless night. On Wednesday morning we received a call saying that we needed to move into the apartment at 12. WHAT. We started calling people and asking for help. It was a crazy morning, one that involved me locking the keys on the inside of the house. oops. We asked a random man on the street for help and he was able to help us get back in, and we didn't have to pay anyone. QUE BENDICIÓN! The Elders told us that they cleaned the house on Monday and it would be ready to go for us.  

A Hermano in our ward arrived at our house to help us move and he brought his truck...which he uses for animals because he is a vet. ummm...ha... So, we loaded everything in the truck and then he told us to sit on our desk chairs in the back...hahaha. There was also a dog in the back with us. The roads in Carmen are horrible and every time we went over a bump the dog would poop. ha ha ha! Needless to say it was a smelly ride. :)

When we got to our new house it was a wreck. Elder's and cleaning don't really work out. We spent the next THREE hours on our hands and knees cleaning the place. We were so exhausted that we didn't even make our beds that night, we just slept on top of everything.

The next day we packed our suitcase and then headed to Villahermosa. My companion is hysterical and made us take a combi. They are these insane van things. Anyway,  we both had to cram in the front seat with the driver and my suitcase..it was quite the adventure. I had a feeling the whole way to Villahermosa that we wouldn't be returning together. I was sad but we had the best time on the bus laughing and talking about our lives. Hermana Castro is truly on of my best friends. I love her so much!

Hermana Castro had been feeling worse and worse each day in Villa. First, I had to go sign my green card and then on Saturday she had her appointments. I got to work with a couple of different sisters while Hermana Castro had her appointments. It was fun! But, I didn't hear from her all day, which I didn't take to be a good thing.

That night Villahermosa had Stake Conference. When I got there I saw Hermana Castro and she said welp, looks like I have to stay here. NO ME DIGA. Just before the meeting we saw the President and he said that it looked like I would be going back to Carmen with a different companion. I started crying and so did my companion. I don't know why, but I was terrified of that thought. He saw that, and said we will talk the next day.

On Sunday, after the session was over the President talked with Hermana. Castro and told her that she needed to finish this transfer here and that I needed to go back to Carmen but, he would let me know today who to go with. He said that we needed to start saying goodbye to each other permanently and that he was going to pray really hard about our companions. No Me Diga! I knew in that moment that whatever happened it would be because God has a plan for us.

Today we waited and waited for a phone call and never got one. So, we decided to go to the grocery store with some of the Hermanas. While we were there Hermana. Castro saw that she had a ton of money in her account and she took it out not knowing what it was or why she had it. Then she called the Secretary and told him about all of the extra money and he said he made a mistake and we needed to go to the offices right then. When we got to the offices Hermana Morales and President Morales came out and talked to us and then told us to sit down and ready the Ensign. We had already given them the money and we were really confused as to why we were waiting. After about 30 minutes they came out of their office and said alright, here's the plan. Let us know what you think.

"WE think that you two are going to be able to stay together here in Villahermosa!"

WHHAAAATTT!?

"You guys are going to be OPENING UP A NEW AREA!!! You will live with 4 other Hermanas in the same house (don't worry, it's huge.)!!"

I really like the other Hermanas!! NO ME DIGA!!!

We told him that we really liked that idea, and he said that he wasn't planning on this, but that it was the Lord's plan.

So, we ended up getting transferred from Carmen. We didn't get to say goodbye to anyone...but, maybe it's better that way?

I am so excited to be working here! It's going to be hard but, we are ready for the Challenge! We experienced so many miracles this weekend and I am so sad that I don't have anytime to tell you all about them!

I have no doubt in my heart that the Lord knows what he is doing and that he has a plan for all of us. I can't wait to see the adventures this Transfer has for us. Thank you all for your support and love. This week has been rough, but I always felt comforted when I thought of you all back home!

Love,

Hermana Riedelbach

P.S. WE have a joke here that I am the Presidents daughter because I look so much like his daughter and we always seem to be matching. hahaha so, on Sunday night he told his daughter to put my name tag on and then he took a picture of us. Today when he saw me he said hey cogi! That's her nickname and everyone calls her Hermana Riedelbach. It's so funny!

P.S.S. No me diga is like are you kidding me? 

Drumroll!!!

I HAVE SOME HUGE NEWS!!!

Frist, Hermana Castro is BACK! WOOT! I missed her so much and we survived transfers! We will be staying in Carmen and together (as long as she is careful and doesn't hurt her back) for at least another transfer! QUE BENDICIÓN! I can't believe I have been in Mexico for a whole transfer already! This week I hit 3 months, LOCO. That just goes to show that this time is precious.

Second, The Mission President came this week for interviews and we got plancharon (a talking to, about doing better). The President is really happy with our zone, but we still need to be doing more. It was so good to be taught by him and his wife they are some very smart people! When the President comes mail also comes! I got my package from G-ma and G-pa and two letters from Sister Eatough! QUE BENDICIÓNE! Seriously, I have never been so happy to get mail before. Hermana Castro and I loved all the goodies Grandma Riedelbach sent! We don't have an oven so, we have been having fun eating lots of cookie dough and microwave cookies! Haha, we haven't made pancakes yet, because we don't have any syrup. But after we are done writing home we are going to get some! I can't wait. It will be a little bit of home!  Thank you for all of the letters, and emails, they are wonderful and I am so grateful for them.

Third, I am going to get my green card this week! Hahaha, which means I will hopefully get any other packages too. For those of you wondering how the mail works and such here's what I know: I got mom's package safe and sound through UPS, it took about two weeks to get to me, because we don't get mail that often as we are 3 hours away from Villa. I got Grandma and Grandpa's 5ish weeks from when they sent it through USPS. As far as I know no one has had a problem receiving packages and they are usually intact as long as you follow the guidelines the post office has. Some Hermana's have received chocolate legally, I don't know how, but they said their family got it to work, they said it was a gift or something..no sé. Please don't use the Virgin Mary stickers, the people at the post office here don't like it and give the Elders in the office a hard time about it. I think that is everything I know about that!

FOURTH, I had my FIRST BAPTISM!!! Oh my goodness. I don't even have the words to describe what happened. It's the best feeling to know that you helped someone take the step of baptism. It was the best experience.  Seriously, I am so grateful for the Lord, and the people he places in our path! Hermanita V is 9 years old and the first one in her family to take the step to get baptized. We have 6 weeks to get the rest of her family done! She has such a strong testimony and such a great hunger to learn more and more each day. She says that people at school ask her why she listens to us and why she was baptized. She told us that she always shares a scripture with them and tells them to read the Book of Mormon! SHE IS 9! Can you believe that? She also fasted for the first time this Sunday! WHAT! I didn't fast when I was nine. She knows the importance of everything we teach her! I am so grateful for her example to me!

It has been a good week here in Carmen! We have some pretty high goals this month, I am excited to work hard and accomplish them all! Thank you all for your support!

Love,

Hermana Elise Riedelbach

An Unexpected Week!

This really has been an unexpected week!

On Tuesday we had our Sister Training leader with us because her companion needed to go to Villahermosa to get her green card! So we spent a lot of the day traveling and having district class. Basically, we didn't do anything that day and Monday was p-day so we didn't do anything for two days. :(

On Wednesday, my companion, Hermana Castro woke up crying because she was in so much pain. Remember we visited the Doctor the last week? Anyway, she couldn't move. So we called Hermana Morales, the Mission Presidents wife, and she said we couldn't leave the house and that the next day we needed to travel to Villahermosa and stay until Saturday. WHAT?  So, we spent the day taking care of Hermana Castro and fetching Hermana Wyndham from the bus station.

The next morning we woke up, studied and then left for Villahermosa. I will just say that I live in the MOST beautiful area of my mission? It was one of the most beautiful bus rides I have ever been on.

When we arrived in Villahermosa Hermana Castro went with the nurse and I went with her companion, I was terrified. She doesn't know any English but, it turns out I know more Spanish than I thought I did! :)

When we got back home that night Hermana Castro was there with the Mission President... I immediately thought oh no! But they said Hermana Castro was fine and that we could go home the next day! I was so happy!

The next morning Hermana Castro woke up in more pain than the day before. So, I worked with Hermana Rodriguez and Hermana Castro went to the doctor again. When Hermana Castro called me after the doctor appointment she told me the doctor said that she needed to stay in Villahermosa for 3 weeks! WHAT? Not cool!  We were both really nervous about what was going to happen.

Hermana Morales called and said that Hermana Castro needed to have rehab and that I was going to be going back to Villahermosa with another Hermana. We spent all of Saturday morning crying and then the President called me. He explained that I needed to go back to my area and work while Hermana Castro recovered. I starting crying again...ahh. He told me that Hermana Rodriguez was going to be my new companion.

This week has been SO hard. Hermana Rodriguez doesn't know a lick of English and I feel like I make sense when I talk but, everyone just stares at me. I have had to almost be senior companion and it's really hard! Hermana Rodriguez is very quiet and it makes things really awkward sometimes because my Spanish isn't that good.

I have grown so much though! Sometimes we don't know why things happen but,  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us all and doesn't give us anything we can't handle. My favorite scripture this week is 1 Nephi 11:17!

I love you all and know that Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us even if it's hard. He doesn't give us anything we can't handle, learn from, or grow from!

I hope you all have a great week and I am praying really hard for you all!

Hermana Elise Riedelbach

UPDATE: Hermana Castro just called me and said that she met with another doctor today and he said that she doesn't need to have rehab she just needs to take her medicine. She also said she feels a lot better and thinks she will be able to come home this week!

QUE BENDICIÓN!!! I seriously miss her so much!

Don't you love how we get to dry our clothes in our apartment?  Pretty swanky, huh?

Dream BIG!

Last week in weekly planning my companion and I set high goals for this past week. We wanted to teach 60 lessons. I was so confident that we could do it! We prayed hard. Tuesday started out so good! Then that same night we had a meeting with the Relief Society and they cut all of the fruit off of my Spanish tree. :(  My tree was producing fantastic fruit up until that point, and then I kind of gave up.  Don't worry, I already repented.

The Relief Society said some things about my Spanish and it hurt me. The rest of the week we were kind of lazy. They said some things to my companion about her training also, and we both kind of gave up on the week. During companionship inventory we talked about it and realized that we both had a bad week but we still wanted to meet our goals! That meant we had to work extra hard the next two days and we did!

The Lord truly blesses us when we work hard! We had another goal to get 4 investigators to church on Sunday and we EXCEEDED that! We had 6!!! The smiles on our faces got bigger and bigger each time another investigator walked in! QUE BENDICIÓN! Seriously, it was the best feeling in the world. We didn't quite meet the 60 lessons but we got 53 which in my book is pretty dang good!

This week after we decided to work hard we watched miracles happen! We have been teaching the most wonderful family and we decided to commit them to baptism this week. When we went into the lesson we were worried because we knew they wanted to wait for their dad (who isn't taking the lessons) to take the lessons and then decide. But, we had faith.

We went for it, and originally they said that they weren't sure because of their dad. I felt so strong to open my mouth and share some experiences I have had with my dad. I told them that I knew that they know the church is true, and that they needed to be the example to him and be baptized. I bore my testimony and then we asked again and the 9 year old little girl said that she wanted to be baptized. The mom and the brother weren't so sure, but I know that she will be a great example to her family!

That also meant that we needed to talk to her dad and get his permission, the same dad I talked about last week that kept asking us millions of questions that scared me. I prayed so hard on the doorstep that my companion would know what to say because I knew I wouldn't.

The spirit was so STRONG in that meeting. He was fighting us the whole way, I was worried to say anything because I knew that meant he could possibly use my words against me, but I did. I bore my testimony and I felt so good. But he feels that she is too young to make the decision for herself. He doesn't think she is ready. But we agreed on a date FEBRUARY 1ST!!! We have to teach her two more lessons and then he will let us know if it is okay to baptize her.

She is so strong! Today we got to hang out with them, and their mom told me that after we left she told her dad that she wanted her kids to be Mormon too. That this is what she wanted! She was so firm with her dad and letting him know her desires. I am so proud of her and pray that her father will let her be baptized! 

I am so grateful for the Lord and how he knows what we all need, he is aware of us all! I love you all and am so grateful for your examples to me!

Hermana Riedelbach

Time Flies When you are serving the Lord!

Ahhh! I only have 28 minutes to write this! At the begining of my mission I wished that we didn't have so much time to do things and now I can't figure out where the time goes!

This week we started teaching a blind man and he is doing well but, he tells me my Spanish is bad...so...yeah...But, he always says he can see light when we come!

We also started teaching a members husband and we are pretty excited about  him. I hope that he decides to get baptized because his family needs the priesthood.

This Saturday night a man bashed us about the why the restoration had to happen in America...at that moment I felt so singled out...ah, they kept pointing at me when they would ask why. I had no idea how to say everything I needed to say in Spanish, so I just started talking in English and my companion translated, it was so bad. But, I was very proud to be an American after the lesson. We have so many things that others in the world don't have and we take that for granted. I am so glad I have all of those freedoms!

Funny story, we have a lot of cockroaches and I am terrified of them.... so,  I always scream and my companion smashes them. The other night A HUGE one ran out from underneath my bed and we both started screaming and I was like SMASH IT! HERE'S MY BOOT! and then the cockroach went back under my bed so, we moved the bed frame and found it. I threw Hermana Castro my flip flop and she starts swatting it, she hit it like ten times. So I ask her is it dead? She said "it's dead...it's really dead!" I look at it and it's so squashed you couldn't even figure out what it was. haha. So funny!

This week my companion hurt her shoulders really bad so we have been going to doctors and such...which means we really haven't taught a whole lot! This morning we went to the Doctor, he lives in our area so he agreed for us to come and teach him! We have a good feeling about him! 

The different food here is starting to catch up to me and is giving my stomach problems, so yesterday I received a blessing and had some awesome personal revelation! I am so grateful for the preisthood, I woke up today and feel so much better! The priesthood is so amazing and I am so grateful for the blessings I have received from it in my life!

Our Bishop hasn't really been involved in our wards missionary work which is so frustrating, but this week we ate at his house and we talked to him and now he is full force on missionary work! QUE BENDICIÓN! He has so much planned and has even gone on visits with us!

By the end of this week, I can understand MOST of what everyone says to me and can answer understandably! The ward is so good at helping me. I have a couple of teachers and they are so funny! I had a conversation about non church related stuff yesterday and understood the whole thing. It was a long conversation too. I was so proud of myself and the members can't believe it! I  hope I continue to progress, but I know I can't unless I rely solely on the Lord!

This morning I lost my name tag, it fell off somewhere so, we went running to find it. When we finally found it a lady who owned a food cart was amazed that it was in the street unscratched and to be honest we were too! We started talking to her and it turns out the Elders used to teach her but when the sister missionaries got here she got lost somehow and wants to take the lessons again! I know Heavenly Father plays a HUGE role in our lives. I know that things aren't just a coinicidence. They happen for a reason.

I received a package from Aunt Bobby this week and am so thankful for it! I haven't received G-ma's or Mom's yet, but the President is coming at the end of the month so I will get them then! Thank you for everything!

I am sending a big birthday hug to Brandy, Blake, Sadie and Pom Pop!  I hope your birthday's are great!  I love you all!

Te quiero mucho!

Hermanita Riedelbach

When it rains, it pours...

This Tuesday I made a goal to speak as much Spanish as I could. Oh my goodness! It was so good! I was preaching like CRAZY! I had so much faith that my Heavenly Father would help me. I felt so good! The Lord truly helps us when we trust in him! We also decided to contact as many people as we could, we found one man that said he was just walking and decided to sit. He was thinking about God and Religion and life. My companion and I had the feeling to go talk to him so we went and he said he was so grateful for us coming and talking to him. He said we were an answer to his prayer! How cool! The Lord is truly preparing people for our message!

On Wednesday I got my hand caught in a ceiling fan...the houses here are not made for people as tall as me... I was talking to some members, and I was using my hands and BAM! My finger hit the fan and got sliced... It hurt SO BAD! Then that night a spider bit my other hand and my finger swelled up HUGE! I'm having some bad luck here! Haha.

OH MY GOODNESS! On Thursday we had to stay inside all day because it rained so much! I have never seen so much rain in my life! All of the pictures below were taken prior to being told we couldn't leave! haha. So, we made caramel popcorn, ate Little Ceasers pizza, took a nap, read my Heritage, and our search for Happiness, I wrote some letters, we played around..and did our normal study. By the end of the day my eyes hurt so bad! So much reading!

This week my prayers were answered so many times!

1st: I left my jacket at the beach, I was so sad! I didn't realize it until we were in the Taxi on the way home and we couldn't do anything about it! I called the zone leaders to see if they were still there and they weren't...I was so upset, but what could I do? PRAY! I said so many prayers that someone would recognize the name tag and take it to a church and give it to the missionaries or something! When we got to the chapel to eat with the president we were sitting around talking and some Elders walked in and had my jacket! QUE BENDICIÓNE!!

The next day I was fasting and I got the WORST hiccups ever. The family kept offering me something to drink but, I so badly wanted to keep my fast so, I prayed that they would stop and lo and behold they did!

One of our favorite things is pan (bread). There are these men who have funky bikes and they ride around all day yelling PAN! if you want some you wave your hand and he stops, and you buy it! It's so yummy! My companion thinks it's hysterical because every time the pan man rides by he never notices me so, I usually find myself running down the street yelling "YO QUIERO PAN!" (I WANT BREAD!) I'm sure it's quite the sight!  hahaha This morning we had a district activity and we wanted to get everyone pan so, we prayed really hard that we would be able to find the pan man this morning! haha, we did! We had to run down the street yelling that we wanted some, but we did it!

Heavenly Father truly knows what is going on in our lives and wants to help us, we just have to have faith and trust in him! He ALWAYS answers our prayers!

Se que la iglesia es verdadera, se que José Smith fue un profeta, se que podemos recibir mucho revelación de el libro de mormón, se que con fe en Dios cualquier cosa es posible! En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Con Mucho Amor,

Hermana Elise Riedelbach